Low-carb weight loss plans include the Atkins Diet, the Zone Diet and the South Beach Diet. The popularity of low-carb weight loss plans may lead you to believe that following one will be a surefire method of dropping pounds, but the diets have limits, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. And some may be dangerous. Learn about the low-carb diet strategy and weigh its potential benefits with its potential pitfalls and discuss it with your doctor before starting a diet.
The Premise
When you digest carbohydrates -- particularly refined carbs, such as white rice and potatoes -- your blood sugar rapidly rises, triggering a release of insulin, which sends blood sugar into the cells for energy. Some proponents of low-carb diets believe that, over time, increased insulin levels will lead you to feel hungrier, eat more and gain weight, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Another theory is that an increase in insulin levels will reduce your body's ability to break down fat because it burns off sugar instead of stored fat for energy, notes MayoClinic.com.
The Menu
Most low-carb diets limit carbohydrate intake by limiting or excluding fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, pastas and sweets. Although some low-carb diets are stricter than others, they generally rely on foods such as meat, fish, eggs, poultry and a few non-starchy vegetables to fill you up.
Example Diet Phases
Low-carb diets generally have several phases. The Atkins Diet, for example, begins with the Induction phase lasting two weeks which allows for 20g or fewer carbs per day. Its second phase, Ongoing Weight Loss, or OWL, allows for up to 60g of carbs per day. The Pre-Maintenance phase allows an increasing number of calories per week as long as no weight is gained and the Maintenance phase is the lifelong process of following the habit set in the Pre-Maintenance phase. The South Beach diet is similar in that it has a two-week Phase 1 which allows for around 20g of carbs, then a Phase 2 of 65 to 90g of carbs and a maintenance phase.
Results
A study published in the 2003 "New England Journal of Medicine" assigned 63 obese adults to either a low-carb or a conventional low-calorie, high-carb, low-fat diet. Although low-carb dieters initially lost about 4 percent more weight than conventional dieters at the six-month mark, the difference in weight loss was insignificant after one year. For both groups, adherence was poor and the drop-out rate was high. According to MayoClinic.com, initial weight loss from a low-carb diet may be primarily attributed to loss of water weight, reduced calorie intake and greater feelings of fullness due to high fat and protein intake.
Risks
A low-carb diet may cause you to consume too much cholesterol and saturated fat, which may lead you to develop heart disease and certain types of cancer, according to MayoClinic.com. You may also develop constipation if you don't take in enough fruits, whole grains and vegetables. Additionally, you may be at increased risk for ketosis, a health condition that is caused by incomplete breakdown of fat, according to MayoClinic.com. The safest low-carb diets allow more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, notes MayoClinic.com.
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